Alternator Bracket

[Richard Bain]

I am getting ready for our trip up Lake Huron to the North Channel, about 250 miles in total...Great Cruising Grounds!
My 1986 C34 has not had the alternator bracket replaced, and I just heard from another owner that they should be replaced....Went on this forum and read the stories...
I do not have the time to replace this before I go...
Do I go??  Can I check it out for wear? The engine has 500 hours on it.
Also, when I do replace it, I imagine that would be the time to upgrade the alternator....

Second question....Sometime my engine won't start when it is hot...on the first try....then fires on the second...It just makes a weak  "key on sound"...nothing else...
I have only noticed this when it is hot??

Thanks for your advice!
Richie

[Stu Jackson]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

From the Projects I wrote in 1998: at http://www.c34ia.org/projects/projects-alt-bracket.html

"Lessons Learned:
1. If you haven't, replace the older style bracket TODAY. It'll give NO NOTICE of failure: it will just GO! I was fortunate that I had all the spare parts including the bracket kit, spare oil filter, bicycle tire for water hose patch, extra hose clamps and all the tools. Also was very helpful to have assistance."

Richard, it's your boat, but I just don't know how much more specific I could have been about this.  There is NO way to check it. It's a casting.

Do you at least have the bracket kit on board?

The best advice I can offer you is to take a day and replace it, or replace it and go a day later.  Other than that, unless you have ALL the parts (and I mean ALL, plus spares) you MAY need, including everything that I wrote up in that Projects, if it fails you're SOL.  You DON'T have to put a new alternator on as part of this.  Please, for your own safety, make the time.  It only takes a day.

Of course, you could ignore it and figure "Well, it lasted this long."  But that's not why I wrote the story.  Your boat, your vacation, your choice.

As far as question #2, start with the wiring.  Check the connections, including the ground at the engine.  ALL connections: battery switch, batteries, starter, alternator.  Don't forget the fuse between the switch and the starter solenoid.  Have you replaced that fuse & fuse holder yet?

[SteveLyle]

When I bought my '86 in 2001, the alternator bracket was the first thing I replaced.  My engine had about 500 hrs on it at that time.

That's the good and the bad of this site and organization - the good is that if something's broken in the past, it's documented here.  You know what the weak points are and can address them or at least be prepared for them.  The bad is that you know what to worry about...

I'm with Stu - your best course of action is to do it before you go, even if you have to delay a day.  You won't be wondering about your engine/bracket while you're supposed to be relaxing.

2nd best - bring the parts with you, as well as another oil filter and 4 qts of oil.  Make sure your low oil pressure alarm works.  Be sure to bring all the tools you'll need, including files (needing to file the bracket arm or alternator fan blades for clearance is commonly required).

Do you have an upgraded alternator?  Universal always denied that the original bracket was ever a problem with the stock alternator (which doesn't put as big a load on the bracket as a 75-100 amp altternator), which is why they didn't treat this is a defect - to them it's an upgrade.  So the 3rd best option is to trust Universal.  Keeping in mind that on the M25XP they used the "upgraded" bracket, even with the stock alternator.

By the way - if you go with option #3 - don't tell the crew about the situation at all.  If you tell them, and it fails, you might have a mutiny on your hands.

Steve

[Ron Hill]

Richard : If you're the type person that drives your auto without a spare tire -- well then you can answer your own question on whether to go on your trip!!